A federal judge, John Tunheim, ruled today that our illustrious Met Council needs to hand over documents regarding its decision on the route for the $1.8 billion Southwest Light Rail line. Amazingly the Met Council had maintained that everyday citizens were not entitled to the information.

After all, the 17 member appointed Council never faces election, and only needs to appease the Governor, at whose pleasure they serve. Why would we lowly citizens expect them to answer to us as they spend $1 billion a year in addition to poorly planned capital investments?

Of course this comes in the middle of attempts by Governor Dayton to jam through a huge increase in transit spending, funded by more tax increases that would feed the budget and ever expanding scope of the unelected, unaccountable and illegitimate Met Council.

The Star Tribune has a nice summary (and the picture to the left) of the situation here.

Also, my 10 minute report on some of the fundamental issues with the Met Council is here.